System and method for providing mobile access to personal media

Abstract

The invention is a media access system. A multipoint installation may create a connection system which permits client devices, such as wireless media playback devices, to connect to host devices in a partnered relationship which permits authorized access to selected media located on the host device, without a need to physically synchronize the partnered client devices. Playback of media content may be configured on a variety of devices where new media content may be offered for purchase. Furthermore, the system permits authorized storage of additional selected media on the host devices. A personalized music radio for receiving personalized music services is also described. Media accessed may be tracked and stored along with user preferences in a personalization engine.

1 . A connection system comprising, in combination: at least one host device configured with at least a first portion of a connector application package, said at least one host device in communication with at least one client device configured with at least a second portion of said connector application package, said connector application package facilitating authorized access of media on said at least one host device by said at least one client device, wherein said media comprises at least one of media residing on said at least host device and additional media to be stored on said at least one host device.  
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising at least one server, said at least a first portion of a connector application package of said at least one host device configured to maintain communication with said at least one server and to invite at least one identified client device configured with at least a second portion of said connector application package to connect to said at least one host device.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising at least one server provisioned with at least identifying data associated with said at least one host device to protect and authorize communication between said at least one host device not addressable outside a local network and said at least one client device.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said client device comprises at least one authorized client device configured to access and retrieve media content and at least one index of said media content and said at least one index on a host device.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising at least one preference engine configured to track accessible media and to apply a weighting to said accessible media based on how often said accessible media is accessed.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one client device comprises a remote control in communication with at least one media player application, said remote control configured to instruct said at least one media player application to playback said media on at least one authorized host device.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein at least one client media player comprises at least one cache to allow local storage of host media and playback of media on said at least one client device to continue when communication between said at least one host device and said at least one client device is momentarily lost.  
   
   
       8 . A personalized radio comprising, in combination: a client device configured with at least a first portion of a connector application package, at least one host device configured with at least a second portion of said connector application package and said at least one host device in communication with said client device, said connector application package facilitating authorized access of distributed media on said personalized radio comprising at least one of said at least one host device and said client device, wherein said distributed media comprises at least one of media residing on said at least host device and additional distributed media to be stored on said at least one host device or at least one server.  
   
   
       9 . The radio of  claim 8 , wherein said distributed media including at least one of syndicated programming, news feeds, advertising content and other groups of media multi-path streamed to said personalized radio.  
   
   
       10 . The radio of  claim 8  further comprising at least one server configured to provide personalized media from at least one of the following: server hosted media including media available for purchase and media content from at least one host device.  
   
   
       11 . The radio of  claim 8 , wherein said at least one server comprises at least one personalization engine configured to determine at least one user preferred media from a plurality of user preference profiles and to create dynamic playlists of media with a high probability of user acceptance.  
   
   
       12 . A method of installing and implementing a connection system comprising the steps of: 
 providing at least one host device and at least one client device;    configuring said at least one host device with a first portion of a connector application package to create at least one user account data;    configuring said at least one client device with a second portion of said connector application package to thereby communicate with said at least one host device; and    facilitating authorized access of media with said connector application on said at least one host device by said at least one client device, wherein said media comprises at least one of media residing on said at least host device and additional media to be stored on said at least one host device.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the steps of: 
 storing said at least one user account data on at least one server; and    maintaining a connection between said at least one server and both said at least one host device and said at least one client device to permit accessibility of said media.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the step of: providing an outbound connection made by said at least one host device to at least one server thereby permitting said at least one host device to be addressable and accessible by at least one client device.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the steps of: 
 installing at least one host application on said at least one host device, said at least one host application having access to media accessible to said at least one host device; and    making said media accessible to at least one authorized client device with said at least one host application.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising the step of: coupling said at least one host application to at least one pre-existing host application, said at least one host application having access to invoke functionality on said pre-existing host application.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said at least one host application on said at least one host device being identified by a host device token, said host device token generated by either of said at least one host device or at least one server, said host device token stored on said at least one server to prevent unauthorized access to said at least one host device.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the steps of: 
 generating at least one client identifier corresponding to said at least one client device to configure said at least one client device with said second portion of said connector application package;    binding a communication connection of said at least one client device to a communication connection of said at least one host device; and    streaming media between said at least one host device and said at least one client device.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the steps of storing at least one client identifier corresponding to a client device and at least one host identifier corresponding to a host device on at least one server; and authorizing a communication connection with said at least one client identifier on said at least one server of said client device to a communication connection of said host device.